“Tell me the date. I want to be there to support you.” She tilts her head, assessing me. “You look good, Han.Happy. Is there someone new in your life?”
“God, no. I got stood up recently, and that was a humbling experience.” I groan. “I am happy. At least, I think I am. Things are good. I’m letting myself enjoy small moments, like when Liv tries a Biellmann spin for the first time and makes it look beautiful. Seeing others enjoy the sport I love makes everything more fun, and I’m taking it day by day.”
“It would be so easy to fall off the face of the earth, but you’re still showing up. I’m so proud of you.” Tierney assesses my outfit. “Where the hell are you going dressed so cute?”
“Oh.” I smile and touch the white turtleneck and leather pants I slipped into thirty minutes ago. “Riley Mitchell is playing in his first game since his accident tonight. Grant is picking me up so we can head to the AHL arena.”
“Fun. Tell Grant I say hi. You two are still good to come to the Blazers and Bullets game in Orlando, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” A text message from Grant pops up, and I grab my clear purse. “I have to run. Grant is outside. I’ll see you next week! We’ll grab you on the way to the airport.”
“Can’t wait! Have a blast tonight!”
Tierney blows me a kiss and we hang up. I hustle through my apartment, grabbing my winter coat and a beanie in case the arena is cold. With a check of my reflection in the mirror, I lock up and hurry downstairs.
“Hi,” I say, breathless when I climb into Grant’s Range Rover parked near the curb. “Sorry, I was talking to Tierney.”
“No worries. Traffic was light, and I had a minute to drink my coffee.” He yawns and rubs his eyes. “I’m so tired.”
“When did you get home?” I buckle my seatbelt and tilt the air vents my way. “Early this morning?”
“I wish. We literally landed two hours ago. Our redeye in from California was delayed for a mechanical issue we found out about after we boarded the plane. We sat in the hangar for-fucking-ever.” Grant checks his mirrors and heads for the arena. “I thought Coach was going to lose it. I don’t know who he called or what kind of strings he pulled, but the part that wasn’t going to arrive in Orange County until this afternoon magically showed up early this morning. A miracle worker, I’ll tell ya.”
“Want me to drive? We don’t need you falling asleep at the wheel.”
“Nah. My adrenaline outweighs the fatigue.” He turns the radio down. “I brought you one of Riley’s jerseys in case you want to wear it. We all have one on, and we’re sitting right on theglass. When he comes out from the locker room, he’ll see us. He has no clue we’ll be there.”
“This is going to mean so much to him.” I twist, reaching for the backseat so I can grab the folded jersey next to a pair of Nikes. “Please tell me this is clean.”
“Uh. It’s notnotclean.” Grant gives me a sheepish grin. “It’s been through one cycle in the washing machine, but there might still be a smell. I didn’t have time for anything more than that, and these things hold a stench for weeks.”
“Lovely. Hope I don’t meet my future life partner tonight. They’ll think I smell like dirty socks.” I wrinkle my nose and set the jersey in my lap. “What’s new with you, G? You’re busier than usual this season. I haven’t seen you in two weeks.”
“Nothing. Everything is exactly the same,” he says. “Boring, boring, boring.”
“Grant Calloway Everett. You are the world’s worst liar. What thehellare you hiding?”
“Okay, watch it with the government name, Hannah Tabitha Everett. I’m not hiding anything!” A lock of his hair falls in his face, and he brushes it away. “Mind your business.”
“A girl.” Understanding dawns. “You’re seeing someone.Who?”
“I can’t talk about it.”
“Is it serious? Is she married? Is that why you’re so secretive?”
“No one is married, and, ah, I’d like for it to be serious.” His smile falls. “But I’m not sure it ever could be. Too many factors. Too much scrutiny. Maybe one day.”
“Do I know her?” I ask.
“No. Well, maybe? Probably not. Anyway.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, coming to a stop at a red light. Grant unlocks his phone and tosses it to me. “Look at the photo Mitchy sent us earlier in his jersey. Isn’t it cute?”
“This is precious.” I zoom in on the shot of Riley with his glasses on, hockey stick in hand and eyes closed. His smile is wide, and the messages under it are from the guys telling him how good he looks. “I’m so glad you guys get to be there for him tonight.”
“Me too.” The light changes, and Grant moves with traffic. “He’s my Secret Santa this year, so I asked the equipment manager for the Comets to steal his jersey after the game. I’m going to have it framed and put a plaque at the bottom with the date and final score on it. He’ll always have something to remind him of tonight.”
“You’re so thoughtful, G. What a big night. He’s going to love it.”
“Might get overshadowed by the other thing happening. Scroll down,” he says, and I read through the rest of the group chat until I see a photo of a piece of paper, the words Riley’s Life List written at the top. “He’s proposing to Lexi. Okay. Well it’s not an actual proposal, but he’s going to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him.”
